


Detours

by GuyOfShy



Series: Remontant [8]
Category: Final Fantasy XIII, Final Fantasy XIII Series
Genre: F/F, Farroncest - Freeform, Sibling Incest, Sibling Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-30
Updated: 2018-07-30
Packaged: 2019-06-18 19:57:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,732
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15493515
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GuyOfShy/pseuds/GuyOfShy
Summary: Lightning and Serah spend some time together on the dock before going for a swim, and somehow get into a conversation about how they’ll be spending their time together when they go on vacation. Of course, Lightning is happy with whatever Serah wishes, and Serah insists that it isn’t that simple.





	Detours

All Lightning could see in front of her was blue. Not a cloud in the sky, nor reflected on the crystal clear waters. It really didn't get much better than this in the seaside paradise of Bodhum. Faint chatter among the others on the beach, a few bird caws from the distance, footsteps on the creaking dock… footsteps growing louder.

Lightning craned her head around as Serah walked up, finally changed into her favorite floral swimsuit. She lifted a water bottle with a smile; the one Lightning had forgotten and left behind after putting her own swimwear on: a simple pair of white trunks and a sleeveless, gray cropped swim top. While accepting her offer, Lightning shifted to make room for Serah to sit down beside her at the far edge of the boardwalk. While Lightning’s attire was not quite as revealing, Serah couldn’t complain so long as her sister’s toned abs were still fully exposed.

“So what are you doing all the way out here by your lonesome?” Serah flirted, sneaking a peek at them as she sat down.

“Just waiting for you.”

“Enjoying the view?”

“It’s a lot better with you here,” Lightning smiled, appreciating Serah’s interest. She stretched her arms behind her to recline on to keep Serah’s delightfully pale and slender figure in frame, and to give her a view of her own to peruse. 

“You always say that,” Serah chuckled, just like she always did, and turned to ogle Lightning’s muscles a bit.

“You always say it back,” Lightning argued as Serah’s impressed gaze wandered up and down her body, before finally laying her hand over Lightning’s with a smirk. Her eyes said it for her well enough. She turned back toward the sea and the sky before she grew too distracted with what Lightning offered.

“It really is a gorgeous day…”

“The breeze is perfect, too,” Lightning added, wondering if it was that or Serah making her feel so warm.

“Just about as perfect as you could get.”

“That’s summer in Bodhum for you. And yes, I will go swimming with you.”

"You don’t have to, you know.”

“I do want to. Because you want to. That’s a good enough reason for me. It’s a perfect day, anyway.”

Lightning expected the sigh that Serah let roll out.

“Is there anything that _you_ want to do today, Light?” Serah asked, soft and sincerely.

“Other than spend it with you?” Lightning tried, knowing that that answer wasn’t what Serah wanted to hear.

“I’m serious,” Serah whined, turning fully toward her. “Isn’t there anything at all you want me to do with you for once? Watch a movie you want to watch, or go out to a new restaurant or something?”

“I’m serious too. That all sounds good to me, Serah,” Lightning said while sitting up, seeing that they were beyond pleasantries.

Lightning was being sincere. Serah knew that as she huffed, not caring to hide her growing exasperation from her face, which Lightning hated to see as often as she did. Still, Serah was persistent:

“Maybe we could take a small vacation somewhere? Although, Bodhum is about as nice of a summer spot as anyone could ask for...”

“If that’s the case, we should go somewhere a lot different,” Lightning proposed, refining Serah’s idea for her.

“Like?” Serah probed, a grin spreading across her face now that Lightning was finally tagging along.

“…I don’t know,” she said after failing to think of a place.

Another frown quickly erased Serah’s smile, but she understood Lightning’s give-me-a-minute tone and let her brainstorm. The soldier thought of places she had been in her travels over missions. There were plenty of good, big cities with plenty of things to do, but Lightning had neither the time nor the interest to explore in order to find them. She wasn’t keen about a crowded city life to begin with. She had passed through plenty of smaller towns with plenty of places to relax, which seemed a more attractive idea, if she could decide on one…

“What about Nautilus?” Serah asked.

Lightning wasn’t a fan of theme parks, either, a fact which Serah would be disappointed eternally about. Lightning would tag along, for her, because seeing Serah smiling and having a great time was about the only genuine fun she could have at such places. Serah had always dreamed of going to Nautilus, too, ever since she was a kid… and so maybe now was the time. Lightning would love to be the one to finally bring her, but she had a seperate idea beginning to form in her mind that she didn’t want to discard yet either, as to her it felt both even more promising and closer to what Serah wanted to hear.

“I know it isn’t totally different from Bodhum, but how do you feel about Palumpolum?” She asked Serah.

“That sounds great! It’s like a bigger Bodhum, sort of, but with more attractions and things to do. Like a home away from home!” Serah said excitedly as she warmed to the idea. “I know there’s a water park, and I think a sea animal show, and I’m sure a bunch of other things…”

“Yeah. I guess that’s why I thought of it, because I like it here.”

“You really would be okay with staying here, wouldn’t you?” Serah chuckled.

“I’m happy wherever you-”

“Ah bup bup! I appreciate the sentiment, but I’m trying to find somewhere you want to go, Lightning. And it sounds to me like you want to try Palumpolum, correct?”

Lightning nodded, fearing that if she opened her mouth she would only end up repeating herself.

“It’s a plan, then.” Serah smiled, and turned her gaze back to the waters in front of them.

“I know you want to go to Nautilus, so that’s where we’ll go next time. That sound fair?”

“I thought you didn’t like theme parks,” Serah reminded her sassily.

“I’m not crazy about them. But you are, and I like you,” Lightning said, looking Serah’s way. “So I’ll go.”

“You’re not helping you know. And here I had thought that we’d made some real progress.”

“Sorry. I’m not crazy about theme parks, but you are, and I love you, so I’ll go.”

Serah giggled and bumped Lightning with her elbow.

“That’s not what I meant and you know it.”

“What else do you want me to say?” Lightning asked, genuinely lost. She wasn’t lying; Serah was the only reason she ever did a lot of things, visiting theme parks included. Serah knew that.

“No, Light, this about what you want to hear me say, not the other way around! Focus for a sec, will you?

“Okay, so we’ll go on vacation to Palumpolum.” She looked at Serah for approval. “Happy?”

“Very. Thank you.”

“We’ll work out the details this weekend,” Lightning said, pressing on while also realizing how hastily they came up with that plan. Not a lot of foundation to it other than, once again, pleasing Serah. But there was substance to be found in it, so long as they followed through with it, which Serah would assure happened. Sitting under the sun and the cloudless sky, the idea of going to a water park won Lightning over quickly, but gave her a better idea still. “But you still want me to decide on something to do today. Why don’t we swim right now, since we’re already out here?”

“That sounds delightful,” Serah said, as if she had been waiting for Lightning to bring it up.

“And later tonight, maybe we could watch something together, if you wanted.”

“I do want to. See? That wasn’t so hard, was it?”

“I just don’t get why we can’t do what you want,” Lightning huffed.

“Because we always do what I want. You hardly ever let me arrange any dates for you. Even before we were together, like this. Kids, even. You’re too kind for your own good, Light.”

Serah’s last remark always confused Lightning, but when she squeezed her hand it had her spinning, searching for a solution. Lightning had spent many years of her life not treating Serah with the kindness she deserved - quite frankly, neglecting her - and after realizing this made it her mission to be the nicest sister she could to her. There was no option or choice; it was something that she was supposed to do. Eventually, those sweet sentiments turned into a much more heartfelt affection for her, and when Serah returned those feelings Lightning thought she had been doing right.

“Too kind?” Lightning repeated, more to herself than to Serah. She was just making up for the past. 

“Yeah. You need to relax for a while and let me take care of you, for all the time that you’ve taken care of me.”

But Serah lived in the present.

“So why don’t we relax in the water, then?” Lightning offered, surrendering to Serah’s concern.

“Do you want to?” Serah asked again, just for confirmation, as well as to tease Lightning a little bit more.

“I do,” she replied sternly, but with a smile she couldn’t suppress.

Serah started swinging her legs, leaning forward and watching the water below them. She grinned and hopped off the dock, with Lightning following quickly before being pulled overboard with her by their entwined hands. The cold splash shocked their skin, but warmed quickly under the sun once they adjusted. Lightning surfaced next to Serah, who was sweeping her soaked bangs away and smiling. Lightning felt a tug on her arm and drifted toward her. 

“See? Not so bad.”

“I never said it was.”

“I know. Just teasing.”

“Nothing’s ever bad with you, Serah,” Lightning said rather seriously. “That’s why I always let you-”

“I know, Light. I feel the same way.” Serah sighed and pulled Lightning with her through the water. “We’re hopeless,” she chuckled.

“Especially considering we forgot the water you brought me,” Lightning pointed out, seeing it still sat on the edge of the dock. Serah just shook her head and grinned at Lightning, who started to swim toward her and around her. “We’re hopeless together, at least.”

“Which means we’ll be just fine.” Serah smiled at Lightning, squinting from of the shining sun overhead.

“Right.” Lightning kicked toward her and kissed Serah as she passed by, then took her hand and pulled her along, farther out to enjoy the waves.

**Author's Note:**

> “You should enjoy the little detours. To the fullest. Because that’s where you’ll find the things more important than what you want.” - Hunter × Hunter
> 
> I came up with this idea so many months ago and it’s such a weight off my chest to have it done. I’d had a lot of the dialogue already worked out, I just had to _write_ it but never wanted to. But I finally did! I got caught on a lot of detours myself in the meantime, and unfortunately not very enjoyable ones.
> 
> I wanted them to be kind of arguing about nothing important, but something that would expose part of their relationship for them to discuss. A conversation that didn’t really need to happen, but better off than if it hadn’t. Plus, pouty Lightning is fun. I wasn't initially intending to go ahead with the bits of fanservice but as I wrote I started crushing on them too hard (again) haha. Also, I tried to keep the prose a bit simpler and without much detail only because it seemed fitting to me this time? I don’t really know why, or how well it worked.
> 
> Big thanks to a lot of people for reaffirming my efforts and my existence (you know who you are), and definitely my GENIUS editor for the expert revisions, as well a couple of folks that gave me ideas for Lightning’s clothes. And it definitely won’t be another five months before I post the next fic, I promise. Thank you so much for reading!


End file.
